"Oh, you're cleared all right, Jenson! Now go down and send Captain Harcourt here, and Dr. Krausz with him. Tell no one else what has happened."
With which Hammer went forward and investigated among the crew. But one and all could account for themselves and proved good alibis, even to the Arabs; so he returned in disgust to the bridge and relieved Harcourt temporarily.
In ten minutes the captain returned with Krausz, all three men entering the chart-house gravely enough.
Hammer told his story, exculpating Jenson fully, and produced the torn scrap of paper taken from Schlak's hand. Dr. Krausz, who had taken the news with astonishing equanimity, examined the paper and uttered a cry of surprise.
"It iss the paper I lost that day when I was drank! Mein Gott, gentlemen, but thiss iss queer! It iss a copy of one of those Portuguese 'relations', concerning the place to which we going are."
"So?" Harcourt inspected the end of his cigar. "Then whoever took it from you that day must have been in the cabin with Schlak, and the row probably started over that paper, by Jove!" He looked up with sudden excitement. "Is anyone else after this treasure, Dr. Krausz?"
The big German blinked in surprise.
"Hein! It would be of no interest to others, but to archaeologists, yess. No one knows but myself. There iss not any chance of sich a thing, I am sure."
"Well, here's the knife. It ought to be recognized."
Harcourt laid the weapon on the table—a plain, horn-hafted sheath-knife, with no scratch on the haft to proclaim ownership.